“My mother’s ancestors are the Marsily and Gerhardi families. The Marsily family were originally in the shipping business in Antwerp where my mother, Caroline Regine Christine, was born in 1851……[she] was educated in the Gerrman Lutheran Church School in Antwerp. She spoke five languages fluently,” wrote Emma.

Emma continued, “Leah Eldred Marsily was my mother’s English step-grandmother who loved her three step- granddaughters so deeply that she left them her fortune. She owned property at Spa – a famous watering place in Belgium. The Marsily tomb is still there.” (Ancestry of  the Witzel Brothers)

We have confirmation that the family trip to Antwerp and London of 1891 had something to do with Leah Elred Marsily’s estate through the correspondence between Thomas Preddle and R.C. De Boom.

Here is Mr. Thomas Preddle’s letter regarding their quick visit to him (and some cigars that needed special attention!). See 58_letter_1891_a   and  59_letter_1891_b

Mr. Preddle also enclosed notes on his investigation into the status of the Marsily estate. See 60_Marsily_estate_a and  61_Marsily_estate_b.